Heat dissipating device

ABSTRACT

A heat dissipating device includes a tubular body having a first open end, and a plurality of heat dissipating fins, each having a fin body and a first engaging portion formed on the fin body for engaging the first open end of the tubular body in a manner that the heat dissipating fins are disposed to radiate from and to surround the tubular body. The first engaging portion includes a first extension section bent from the fin body, and a first hook extending from the first extension section for hooking onto the tubular body at the first open end.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority of Chinese Application No. 201110110519.1, filed on Apr. 27, 2011.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a heat dissipating device, more particularly to a heat dissipating device that is easy to assemble.

2. Description of the Related Art

A light-emitting diode (LED) has many advantages including low power consumption, high efficiency, excellent energy conservation, long life span and very low pollution generation, and thus has been utilized widely. It is common to dispose a plurality of LEDs in one lamp for lighting. Due to the temperature rise during the operation of the LED, assembling multiple LEDs in a lamp may easily produce and accumulate a large amount of heat, which, if not dissipated in time, will arise in problems such as color rendering problem, diminished brightness, shortened life span and malfunction. Therefore, heat dissipation has always been a crucial issue.

A heat dissipating module disclosed in Taiwanese Utility Model no. M395787 includes a plurality of heat dissipating fins. Each of the heat dissipating fins includes an engaging portion formed with a protrusion and a groove. The heat dissipating module is assembled by engaging the protrusion of each of the heat dissipating fins to the groove of the engaging portion of a corresponding adjacent one of the heat dissipating fins.

While the heat dissipating module mentioned above is able to achieve a desired heat dissipating effect, the manufacture of such heat dissipating fins requires complicated processing and additional costs. Moreover, assembly using the protrusions and grooves of the heat dissipating fins may raise questions regarding stability of the heat dissipating module, since each of the heat dissipating fins is a thin plate itself, let along the protrusions and grooves disposed on the thin heat dissipating fins. Lack of caution during the assembly procedure may impair the engaging function of the protrusions and grooves, rendering the heat dissipating base unworkable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a heat dissipating device that is easy to assemble.

Accordingly, a heat dissipating device of the present invention comprises a tubular body and a plurality of heat dissipating fins. The tubular body has a first open end, and each of the heat dissipating fins has a fin body and a first engaging portion. For each of the heat dissipating fins, the first engaging portion is formed on the fin body for engaging the first open end of the tubular body in a manner that the heat dissipating fins are disposed to radiate from and to surround the tubular body. The first engaging portion includes a first extension section and a first hook. The first extension section is bent from the fin body, and the first hook extends from the first extension section for hooking onto the tubular body at the first open end.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of a heat dissipating device according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view illustrating a plurality of heat dissipating fins and a tubular body of the heat dissipating device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a magnified view of an upper encircled region shown in FIG. 3, which illustrates a first engaging portion and a first positioning portion of the heat dissipating device; and

FIG. 5 is a magnified view of a lower encircled region shown in FIG. 3, which illustrates a second engaging portion and a second positioning portion of the heat dissipating device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, the preferred embodiment of a heat dissipating device according to the present invention comprises a tubular body 2, a plurality of heat dissipating fins 3 and first and second mounting plates 4,4′.

The tubular body 2 has a first open end 211, a second open end 212, an inner tube surface 213, a first positioning portion 22 disposed at the first open end 211, and a second positioning portion 23 disposed at the second open end 212.

Each of the heat dissipating fins 3 has a fin body 31, a first engaging portion 32, and a second engaging portion 33. The first engaging portion 32 and the second engaging portion 33 are formed on the fin body 31 for respectively engaging the first and second open ends 211 and 212 of the tubular body 2 in a manner that the heat dissipating fins 3 are disposed to radiate from and to surround the tubular body 2. To be specific, the first engaging portion 32 and the second engaging portion are disposed to respectively engage the first positioning portion 22 and the second positioning portion 23 and prevent rotation of the heat dissipating fins 3 relative to the tubular body 2.

In the preferred embodiment, the first positioning portion 22 includes a plurality of notches that are spaced apart respectively and that surround an edge of the first open end 211. The second positioning portion 23 also has the structure of notches surrounding an edge of the second open end 212.

As shown in FIG. 4, each of the first engaging portions 32 of the heat dissipating fins 3 includes a first extension section 321 bent from the fin body 31 and a first hook 322 extending from the first extension section 321. Upon assembling, the first hook 322 of the first engaging portion 32 extends through one of the respective notches of the first positioning portion 22 for hooking onto the first positioning portion 22 of the tubular body 2 at the first open end 211 and abuts tightly against the inner tube surface 213. Correspondingly, as shown in FIG. 5, each of the second engaging portions 33 of the heat dissipating fins 3 includes a second extension section 331 bent from the fin body 31 and a second hook 332 extending from the second extension section 331. The connection between the second hook 332 of each of the second engaging portions 33 and one of the respective notches of the second positioning portion 23 for hooking onto the second positioning portion 23 is the same as that of the first hook 322 and the respective notch of the first positioning portion 22. The second hook 332 likewise abuts against the inner tube surface 213.

The heat dissipating fins 3 can be made from metal materials with high thermal conductivity such as aluminum and copper, and the shapes and sizes of the heat dissipating fins 3 can be specifically made by methods such as stamping.

In this embodiment, numbers of the notches disposed on the first and second open ends 211 and 212 are identical (both 44), with the positions correspondent to each other. It is then intuitive that the number of the heat dissipating fins 3 should match the number of the notches and is also 44 in the preferred embodiment. However, this number is not limited to the disclosure in the preferred embodiment, and may be adjusted accordingly to fulfill various demands.

To ensure stability of the connection between the heat dissipating fins 3 and the tubular body 2, the first and second mounting plates 4 and 4′, disposed respectively at the first open end 211 and the second open end 212 of the tubular body 2, are introduced. Particularly, the first mounting plate 4, when disposed, will seal the first open end 211, and has a first plate body 41 and a first peripheral portion 42 that surrounds the first plate body 41 and that presses the first hooks 322 of the first engaging portions 32 of the heat dissipating fins 3 against the inner tube surface 213 of the tubular body 2.

Correspondingly, the second mounting plate 4′, when disposed, will seal the second open end 212, and has a second plate body 41′ and a second peripheral portion 42′ that surrounds the second plate body 41′ and that presses the second hooks 332 of the second engaging portions 33 of the heat dissipating fins 3 against the inner tube surface 213 of the tubular body 2.

Particularly, in the preferred embodiment, each of the first extension sections 321 has an outer surface 329 (see FIG. 4), and when the first peripheral portion 42 of the first mounting plate 4 disposed at the first open end 211 presses the first hooks 322 of the heat dissipating fins 3 tightly against the tubular body 2, an outer surface of the first plate body 41 of the first mounting plate 4 is flush with the outer surfaces 329 of the first extension sections 321 of each of the heat dissipating fins 3, on which an object requiring heat dissipation may be disposed.

Referring to FIGS. 3 to 5, to assemble the heat dissipating fins 3 onto the tubular body 2, according to the present invention, the first hooks 322 of the first engaging portions 32 of the heat dissipating fins 3 are first disposed to engage the respective notches of the first positioning portion 22 (as shown in FIG. 4), and the second hooks 332 of the second engaging portions 33 of the heat dissipating fins 3 are then disposed to engage the corresponding notches of the second positioning portion 23 (as shown in FIG. 5). After all of the heat dissipating fins 3 are disposed onto the corresponding position of the tubular body 2, a stamping procedure is applied, bending the hooks 322 and 332, thereby hooking the heat dissipating fins 3 onto the tubular body 2 to complete the assembly of the heat dissipating device. If necessary, the first and second mounting plates 4 and 4′ are then respectively mounted to cover the first open end 211 and the second open end 212.

To sum up, by utilizing the first and second hooks 322 and 332 of the heat dissipating fins 3 and the notches of the first positioning portion 22 and the second positioning portion 23 of the tubular body 2, the heat dissipating device is more simple and stable compared to the prior assembly done by simply engaging adjacent heat dissipating fins 3. The mounting plates 4 and 4′ which can be optionally included, can further obtain tighter association and securing effect.

While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent arrangements. 

1. A heat dissipating device comprising: a tubular body having a first open end; and a plurality of heat dissipating fins, each having a fin body and a first engaging portion formed on said fin body for engaging said first open end of said tubular body in a manner that said heat dissipating fins are disposed to radiate from and to surround said tubular body, said first engaging portion including a first extension section bent from said fin body and a first hook extending from said first extension section for hooking onto said tubular body at said first open end.
 2. The heat dissipating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tubular body is formed with a first positioning portion that is disposed at said first open end and that is disposed to engage said first engaging portions of said heat dissipating fins and prevent rotation of said heat dissipating fins relative to said tubular body.
 3. The heat dissipating device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first positioning portion includes a plurality of notches through which said first hooks of said first engaging portions extend, respectively.
 4. The heat dissipating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tubular body has an inner tube surface, and said first hooks of said first engaging portions of said heat dissipating fins abut tightly against said inner tube surface.
 5. The heat dissipating device as claimed in claim 1, wherein: said tubular body further has a second open end; and each of said heat dissipating fins further has a second engaging portion formed on said fin body for engaging said second open end of said tubular body.
 6. The heat dissipating device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said second engaging portion of each of said heat dissipating fins includes a second extension section bent from said fin body and a second hook extending from said second extension section for hooking onto said tubular body at said second open end.
 7. The heat dissipating device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said tubular body is formed with a first positioning portion that is disposed at said first open end and that is disposed to engage said first engaging portions of said heat dissipating fins, and a second positioning portion that is disposed at said second open end and that is disposed to engage said second engaging portions of said heat dissipating fins, said first and second positioning portions preventing rotation of said heat dissipating fins relative to said tubular body.
 8. The heat dissipating device as claimed in claim 7, wherein each of said first and second positioning portions includes a plurality of notches through which said first hooks of said first engaging portions and said second hooks of said second engaging portions extend, respectively.
 9. The heat dissipating device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said tubular body has an inner tube surface, and said first hooks of said first engaging portions and said second hooks of said second engaging portions of said heat dissipating fins abut tightly against said inner tube surface.
 10. The heat dissipating device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a mounting plate having a peripheral portion that presses said first engaging portions of said heat dissipating fins against said tubular body.
 11. The heat dissipating device as claimed in claim 10, wherein said tubular body has an inner tube surface, and said peripheral portion of said mounting plate presses said first hooks of said first engaging portions against said inner tube surface of said tubular body.
 12. The heat dissipating device as claimed in claim 11, wherein said first extension sections have outer surfaces, and said mounting plate has an outer surface flush with said outer surfaces of said first extension sections.
 13. The heat dissipating device as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a first mounting plate having a first peripheral portion that presses said first engaging portions of said heat dissipating fins against said tubular body, and a second mounting plate having a second peripheral portion that presses said second engaging portions of said heat dissipating fins against said tubular body.
 14. The heat dissipating device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said tubular body has an inner tube surface, said heat dissipating device further comprising a first mounting plate having a first peripheral portion that presses said first hooks of said heat dissipating fins against said inner tube surface of said tubular body, and a second mounting plate having a second peripheral portion that presses said second hooks of said heat dissipating fins against said inner tube surface of said tubular body. 